Ferrara

Italy Updated Oct 2026

A bicycle bell rings across the moat, and a rider slips past the brick towers of a ducal castle: Ferrara still moves at a human pace inside walls built for power. In Ferrara, Italy, Renaissance grandeur shares the street with the smell of butter and sage on cappellacci di zucca.

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Ferrara, Italy Photo: serena saponaro / Pexels
Attractions
8
Trip length
2–3 days
Best season
Late spring (May–June) or early autumn (September–October)

Why Ferrara

Built from cited sources · see the method · How we make our guides →

The Este dukes reshaped Ferrara in the late 15th century, extending the city north in a planned district of broad streets and handsome palaces. At the Quadrivio degli Angeli, sunlight shifts across the 8,500 faceted marble blocks of Palazzo dei Diamanti; inside Palazzo Schifanoia, the surviving frescoes of the Hall of the Months turn courtly life into a calendar.

Ferrara’s food keeps its own record of court and countryside. Try pumpkin-filled cappellacci with butter and sage, a crisp, many-pointed coppia Ferrarese, or the dark, spice-heavy salama da sugo spooned over potato purée.

The 9-kilometer ring of walls is still a place for a walk or a slow bike ride, not just a reminder of old defenses. Follow it past bastions and gardens, then return to the narrow lanes: Ferrara feels less like a museum than a city that learned to live comfortably inside its history.

  • A fortress with a moat

    Niccolò II d’Este commissioned Castello Estense in 1385, after a tax revolt made a defensible home seem wise. Cross the drawbridges, then climb the Torre dei Leoni for red roofs and the cathedral tower above the city.

  • Renaissance in the open air

    At the crossroads of Corso Ercole I d’Este, Palazzo dei Diamanti catches the light on roughly 8,500 faceted marble blocks. The broad avenue belongs to Biagio Rossetti’s Addizione Erculea, an ambitious Renaissance expansion that still feels unusually spacious.

  • A painted calendar

    Palazzo Schifanoia’s Salone dei Mesi turns the calendar into a courtly spectacle: surviving frescoes layer mythological figures above scenes of life under Duke Borso d’Este. Look closely and the painted pageantry doubles as a claim about who ruled Ferrara—and why.

  • A city made for bicycles

    Ferrara’s 9-kilometre ring of Renaissance walls is a leafy route for walking or cycling, with bastions and long views over the flat Po Valley. Inside the walls, medieval Via delle Volte narrows into brick arches and cobbles, a reminder that the city’s calm streets once linked merchants to river traffic.

Places to Visit

Not every monument, just the ones we'd walk you past ourselves.

All 39 places in Ferrara

Neighborhoods

Where to wander, by quarter — each with its own rhythm.

  • Cathedral and Castle Quarter

    Around Piazza Trento e Trieste, the cathedral’s marble façade faces the former Este palace, while Castello Estense rises just beyond its moat. Pause for an espresso or an aperitivo near the square, then look for Via Adelardi and Enoteca Al Brindisi, a wine tavern documented since 1435.

  • Addizione Erculea

    This northern expansion, planned under Duke Ercole I d’Este in the late 15th century, feels more open than the medieval center. Walk Corso Ercole I d’Este to Palazzo dei Diamanti, then seek out the surprising fields and gardens preserved inside the city walls.

  • Via delle Volte and the Medieval Quarter

    Brick arches span this cobbled lane, once linking merchants’ homes to their warehouses by the river. The light dims beneath the vaults; nearby trattorias make a good stop for handmade pasta after a wander.

  • Former Jewish Ghetto

    Via Mazzini, Via Vignatagliata and Via Vittoria trace the compact quarter enclosed as a ghetto in 1627. The historic synagogues and Jewish Museum on Via Mazzini offer a quieter counterpoint to the grand Este monuments.

  • Via Carlo Mayr and Via Contrari

    These central streets gather student-friendly bars, cocktail spots and outdoor tables, with the evening crowd often lingering over spritzes or local wine. Come after dinner for a livelier side of Ferrara than the castle-side cafés provide.

  • Piazza Ariostea

    A broad, ring-shaped square with a statue of poet Ludovico Ariosto at its center, Piazza Ariostea has room to breathe beneath the northern avenues. In May, it becomes the setting for the Palio di Ferrara, whose horse races have been held since 1279.

  • The City Walls

    Ferrara’s brick ramparts form a green ring around the historic center, with tree-lined paths for walking and cycling. The bastions and stretches of earthwork show how the city’s defenses have become part of everyday life.

  • Darsena di San Paolo

    Along the Po di Volano canal, the former riverfront has pedestrian paths, event spaces and docks for boat trips. In the evening, the water catches the last light and locals gather outside, away from the tighter lanes of the old center.

Plan your trip

Before you go

Getting There
Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ), about 45–50 km south, is the nearest major gateway; Venice Marco Polo (VCE), Treviso (TSF) and Florence Peretola (FLR) are alternatives. Ferrara railway station (Stazione di Ferrara) is the city’s main rail stop, with regional trains from Bologna Centrale taking roughly 25–35 minutes. In 2026, the Ferrara Bus&Fly shuttle from BLQ takes about 45–60 minutes and costs €18.50 booked online; drivers can also use the A13 Bologna–Padua motorway via Ferrara Nord or Ferrara Sud, plus the SS16 Adriatica and RA8 Ferrara–Porto Garibaldi.
Getting Around
Ferrara has no metro or tram: TPER runs the urban bus network, with 2026 single fares of €2.30 for 75 minutes or €2.50 when bought with cash onboard; the 24-hour pass costs €9. The flat historic centre is easy on foot or by bike, and RideMovi offers app-based bike sharing; the MyFE visitor card (€20 for 2 days, €22 for 3, €25 for 6) covers museum admission, not bus travel.
Climate & Best Time
Spring brings highs of 14–24°C and lows of 5–13°C; summer highs reach 28–32°C, with humid nights around 18–20°C. Autumn ranges from 12–26°C by day and 6–15°C at night, with heavier rain around October; winter highs are about 6–9°C and lows 0–2°C, often damp and foggy. May–June and September–early October are the most comfortable months for cycling and walking, with May’s Palio and the late-August Buskers Festival drawing extra visitors; January–February are quieter.
Language & Currency
Italian is the everyday language; staff at major museums and hotels often speak English, while smaller bakeries and family-run osterie may have limited English. Ferrara uses the euro (€); cards are widely accepted, but keeping €10–€30 in cash helps at small cafés and market stalls.

03 Top tickets in Ferrara.

Book ahead

Curated from places in this city. Same price as official sites.

Discover Ferrara, City of the Renaissance
Castello Estense
Discover Ferrara, City of the Renaissance
★4.9 from €105
Ferrara Tour of Must-See Attractions with Local Top Rated Guide
Castello Estense
Ferrara Tour of Must-See Attractions with Local Top Rated Guide
★5.0 from €286
Ferrara Highlights Kids Tour with a Local Guide
Castello Estense
Ferrara Highlights Kids Tour with a Local Guide
★5.0 from €189
Ferrara Food Tasting and Walking Tour
Palazzo Dei Diamanti
Ferrara Food Tasting and Walking Tour
★5.0 from €180
Ferrara Private Walking Tour
Palazzo Dei Diamanti
Ferrara Private Walking Tour
★4.7 from €140

Prices shown are indicative — final pricing and availability are confirmed at checkout. Audiala may receive a commission from bookings made via these links.

Ferrara: A Court, a Moat, and a Measured City

From a Byzantine river stronghold to the planned Renaissance city

  1. c. 500 BCE

    Spina Before Ferrara

    Long before Ferrara took shape, the Etruscan port of Spina connected the Po Delta to trade across the Adriatic. Its tombs, later found beneath the marshes, reveal how much of this history lay hidden under water and silt.

  2. 6th–7th century

    A Frontier Settlement Takes Shape

    Ferrara began as a Byzantine defensive post on the north bank of the Po, facing the older religious settlement around San Giorgio on the south bank. The river was both a route and a boundary in a frontier contested by Byzantines and Lombards.

  3. 753

    Ferrara Enters the Record

    A document dated 753 is commonly cited as Ferrara’s first written appearance by name, in the period when Lombard forces took control from the Byzantine Exarchate of Ravenna. Frankish victories soon reshaped the region, and Ferrara passed into the orbit of the Papacy.

  4. 1116

    The Commune Claims Its Freedom

    After the death of Matilda of Tuscany, Ferrara declared itself a free commune. Civic power now rested with local institutions and families, though factional rivalry would keep that freedom precarious.

  5. 1135

    A New Cathedral Rises

    Construction began on the Cathedral of San Giorgio, shifting Ferrara’s civic and religious center north of the Po. Its carved stone doorway and layered Romanesque and Gothic façade still show how generations added their own voice to the building.

  6. 1264

    The Este Rule Becomes Hereditary

    A popular assembly proclaimed Obizzo II d’Este lord of Ferrara for life, establishing hereditary Este rule. The city’s communal institutions gave way to a court that would shape Ferrara’s politics, buildings, and artistic life for centuries.

Show the full timeline (30 moments)
  1. 1385

    A Revolt Builds a Castle

    After a tax revolt ended with the killing of the commissioner Tommaso da Tortona, Niccolò II d’Este commissioned a new fortress. Bartolino da Novara’s Castello Estense rose around the Lion’s Tower, its moat and drawbridges turning a warning to the city into Ferrara’s defining silhouette.

  2. 1391

    The University Opens

    Alberto V d’Este founded the University of Ferrara with a charter from Pope Boniface IX. A studium in a court city offered more than lessons: it drew scholars into the orbit of a dynasty keen to make learning part of its authority.

  3. 1425

    Executions in the Castle Dungeons

    Parisina Malatesta and her stepson Ugo d’Este were tried for adultery and executed on the orders of Niccolò III d’Este. The story attached to the castle’s underground rooms gives its defensive walls a more intimate, and darker, history.

  4. 1452

    Savonarola Is Born in Ferrara

    Girolamo Savonarola was born in Ferrara, where he spent his early years before joining the Dominican order. His later preaching in Florence made him famous, but his story began in this courtly city, far from the bonfires with which his name is often associated.

  5. 1469–1470

    The Months Fill Schifanoia

    Borso d’Este commissioned a fresco cycle for the Salone dei Mesi at Palazzo Schifanoia, where gods, zodiac signs, and scenes of court life unfold across the walls. The surviving panels turn a room into a painted calendar of power, with Borso presented as the steady center of Ferrara’s year.

  6. 1471

    Ferrara Becomes a Duchy

    Pope Paul II elevated Ferrara to a duchy and named Borso d’Este its first duke. The new title confirmed the family’s standing, while its court gave artists and writers reason to gather here.

  7. 1482

    Venice Besieges Ferrara

    War broke out between Ferrara and Venice over territory and the valuable salt trade. Venetian forces captured towns along the Po and besieged Ferrara itself, bringing the threat of battle close to the Este court.

  8. 1484

    The Treaty Cedes Polesine

    The Treaty of Bagnolo ended the War of Ferrara, allowing the Este rulers to retain the city but forcing them to surrender the Polesine region around Rovigo to Venice. Ferrara survived the siege; its borders did not.

  9. 1492

    Rossetti Redraws the City

    Ercole I d’Este commissioned architect Biagio Rossetti to expand Ferrara through the Addizione Erculea, with broad streets and a more deliberate urban plan. The same year, work began on Palazzo dei Diamanti, whose many pointed marble blocks catch light differently as you pass.

  10. 1502

    Lucrezia Borgia Comes to Court

    Lucrezia Borgia married Alfonso I d’Este and became duchess of Ferrara, joining a court that used ceremony, diplomacy, and art as instruments of rule. She built a literary circle here and became a patron in her own right, beyond the notorious reputation that followed her from Rome.

  11. 1516

    Ariosto Publishes His Epic

    Ludovico Ariosto published the first edition of Orlando Furioso in Ferrara, where he served the Este court. He revised the poem for years, giving its knights, lovers, and wandering plots a home in the city’s world of courtly spectacle.

  12. 1565

    Tasso Joins the Este Court

    Torquato Tasso entered the service of the Este court, where he wrote for an audience steeped in poetry and performance. His pastoral play Aminta was staged in Ferrara in 1573; later, personal crises led to his confinement at the Hospital of Sant’Anna.

  13. 1570

    Earthquakes Shake the City

    Strong shocks struck Ferrara on November 16 and 17, damaging palaces, churches, and public buildings across the city. Aftershocks continued for years, and the disaster altered the course of the Po, a reminder that even a carefully planned city answers to the ground beneath it.

  14. 1598

    The Este Court Leaves Ferrara

    When Alfonso II d’Este died without a legitimate heir, Pope Clement VIII claimed Ferrara for the Papal States. The Este family withdrew to Modena, and Ferrara lost the court that had commissioned its castles, palaces, and painted rooms.

  15. 1624–1627

    The Ghetto Gates Close

    Papal authorities confined Ferrara’s Jewish residents to a ghetto centered on Via Mazzini, Via Vignatagliata, and Via Vittoria. Gates shut at night, turning familiar streets into boundaries imposed by law.

  16. 1796

    French Forces End Papal Rule

    French Revolutionary troops entered Ferrara in June, ending the Papal Legation and bringing the city under a new political order. In the Napoleonic years that followed, the papal fortress was demolished, clearing part of the city’s southwestern defenses.

  17. 1815

    Papal Rule Returns

    The settlement after Napoleon restored Ferrara to the Papal States, while allowing an Austrian garrison to remain. The city’s return to papal authority came with a reminder that decisions about its security were still made well beyond its walls.

  18. 1860

    Ferrara Joins the Kingdom of Italy

    A plebiscite in 1860 brought Ferrara into the Kingdom of Sardinia, soon to become the Kingdom of Italy. The railway reached the city in 1862, linking its fields, workshops, and brick streets more closely to the new national network.

  19. 1917

    Metaphysical Art Finds Its City

    During the First World War, artists including Giorgio de Chirico, Alberto Savinio, and Carlo Carrà were in Ferrara, where the city’s quiet squares and hard-edged architecture fed a new kind of painting. Their canvases made familiar streets feel strangely emptied, as if the buildings had outlasted the people meant to inhabit them.

  20. 1943

    Eleven Are Killed at the Castle

    On November 15, Fascist forces executed eleven people against the moat wall of Castello Estense after the killing of local Fascist official Igino Ghisellini. The castle’s brickwork became the setting for a political massacre, later remembered in the writing of Giorgio Bassani.

  21. 1945

    Ferrara Is Liberated

    British Eighth Army forces and Italian partisan units entered Ferrara on April 24. The city emerged from occupation and bombing with deep losses, including the deportation of many members of its historic Jewish community.

  22. 1995

    UNESCO Recognizes Renaissance Ferrara

    UNESCO inscribed Ferrara as a World Heritage Site for its Renaissance urban plan and architecture. The designation was extended in 1999 to include the Po Delta and the Este family’s country villas, linking the city to the wider territory that sustained its court.

  23. 2012

    Earthquakes Damage Historic Buildings

    Two major earthquakes struck the Emilia region in May, damaging monuments in Ferrara, including the cathedral, Palazzo dei Diamanti, and Palazzo Schifanoia. Restoration brought scaffolding back to buildings whose stones had already endured the shocks of 1570.

  24. 2017

    The MEIS Opens Its Doors

    The National Museum of Italian Judaism and the Shoah opened in Ferrara on the site of the former municipal prison. Its location gives the city’s long Jewish history a public home, including the story of the community shattered by deportations during the Holocaust.

Who lived here

  • Poet · 1544–1595

    Torquato Tasso

    Worked at the Este court and was confined at Sant’Anna

    At the Este court, Tasso found patrons for Aminta, staged on Ferrara’s island of Belvedere in 1573; later, conflict and distress led to his confinement at Sant’Anna. He might recognize the city’s enduring appetite for performance in its theaters and street festivals.

  • Poet · 1474–1533

    Ludovico Ariosto

    Served at the Este court in Ferrara

    Ariosto served the Este court while writing and revising Orlando Furioso, an epic that lets its knights wander far beyond the court that supported him. He might enjoy seeing Ferrara’s old streets still reward an aimless detour.

  • Astronomer · 1473–1543

    Nicolaus Copernicus

    Received a doctorate in canon law in Ferrara in 1503

    Copernicus came to Ferrara to study canon law and received his doctorate here in 1503, long before his work altered the way people pictured the heavens. The city’s university life might feel familiar today; its brick streets, less so.

  • Dominican friar and preacher · 1452–1498

    Girolamo Savonarola

    Born and raised in Ferrara

    Savonarola began life in Ferrara before becoming the fiery preacher associated with Florence’s Bonfire of the Vanities. He might find the city’s preserved courtly splendor a pointed contrast to his later attacks on luxury.

  • Architect and urban planner · c. 1447–1516

    Biagio Rossetti

    Designed Ferrara’s Addizione Erculea

    Working for Duke Ercole I d’Este, Rossetti shaped the Addizione Erculea, an ambitious Renaissance expansion that gave Ferrara room to grow beyond its older streets. He might be pleased that people still experience his plan on foot, rather than only as lines on a map.

  • Duchess and patron · 1480–1519

    Lucrezia Borgia

    Duchess of Ferrara from 1502 until her death

    Lucrezia arrived in Ferrara in 1502 as the bride of Alfonso I d’Este and made the city her home, building a literary and artistic circle at court. She might recognize the same palaces, but find the modern city’s bicycle traffic a very different procession.

  • Renaissance painter · c. 1436–1478

    Francesco del Cossa

    Born in Ferrara; painted frescoes at Palazzo Schifanoia

    Born in Ferrara, del Cossa painted the March, April and May sections of Palazzo Schifanoia’s Salone dei Mesi, where gods, zodiac signs and court life share the walls. He might be surprised that visitors still slow down to read a calendar painted for a duke.

Where to Eat

Where locals actually book dinner — not the tourist menus.

Insider tips

Small things that change how the city treats you.

  • Watch For Bikes

    Ferrara is known as the “City of Bicycles,” and locals use bikes for their evening passeggiata. Keep an eye out for riders while walking through the historic center.

  • Time Your Lunch

    Traditional trattorias often serve lunch from about 12:30 to 14:30, then close. Arrive before 14:00 if you want time for a leisurely meal.

  • Order The Zucca

    Try cappellacci di zucca, pasta filled with squash, Parmigiano and nutmeg. Butter and sage let the sweet filling come through; ragù makes for a heartier plate.

  • Check The Coperto

    A restaurant bill may include a coperto, usually €1.50–€3 for the setting and bread. Tipping isn’t obligatory; rounding up or leaving €1–€2 per person for especially good service is customary.

  • Check Festival Dates

    The Palio takes place in Piazza Ariostea on the last weekend of May, while the Buskers Festival is held in late August. Confirm current dates before booking, since event schedules can change.

  • Try The Local Bread

    Look for coppia ferrarese, the city’s crisp, twisted IGP bread, at a local bakery. Its pointed ends are made for tearing off and eating by hand.

Frequently asked

Is Ferrara worth visiting?

Yes, especially if Renaissance art and city planning interest you. The moated Castello Estense, Palazzo Schifanoia’s frescoes and the streets of the Addizione Erculea give the city a character distinct from larger Emilia-Romagna stops.

How many days in Ferrara?

Plan on two full days for the castle, Palazzo dei Diamanti, Palazzo Schifanoia and a slow wander through the old center. Add another day for museums or a festival if you want time to linger over meals and the city walls.

How do you get around Ferrara?

The historic center works well on foot or by bicycle, a familiar part of daily life in Ferrara. Watch for riders as you walk, and check current local transport information if you need to travel beyond the center.

Is Ferrara safe for visitors?

The research available here doesn’t establish a live safety rating for Ferrara, so check your government’s current Italy travel advice before departure. In the center, take ordinary precautions with valuables and watch for bicycles sharing the streets.

How much does a meal in Ferrara cost?

Meal prices vary by restaurant, and the available research doesn’t provide current menu totals. Check whether the bill includes a coperto, commonly around €1.50–€3; tipping isn’t expected, though rounding up is customary.

When is the best time to visit Ferrara?

Late spring and early autumn bring major cultural events: the Palio is held on the last weekend of May, and the Internazionale journalism festival takes place in early autumn. The Buskers Festival usually falls in late August; verify dates before you travel.

All Places to Visit.

39 places to discover

Ferrara Cathedral
Place

Ferrara Cathedral

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Palazzo Schifanoia

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Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi

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National Archaeological Museum (Ferrara)

Stadio Paolo Mazza
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Stadio Paolo Mazza

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Castello Estense

Palazzo Dei Diamanti
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Palazzo Dei Diamanti

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Biblioteca Comunale Ariostea

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Certosa of Ferrara

Pinacoteca Nazionale
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Pinacoteca Nazionale

Walls of Ferrara
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Walls of Ferrara

Museo Del Risorgimento E Della Resistenza
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Museo Del Risorgimento E Della Resistenza

Studiolo Di Belfiore
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Studiolo Di Belfiore

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Corpus Domini Monastery

Teatro Comunale
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Teatro Comunale

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Chiesa Del Gesù

Palazzani Marfisa D’Este
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Palazzani Marfisa D’Este

Palazzo Renata Di Francia
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Palazzo Renata Di Francia

Delizia Di Belfiore
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Delizia Di Belfiore

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Baluardo Di San Lorenzo

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Baluardo Di San Paolo Alla Fortezza

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Baluardo Di San Pietro

Baluardo Di San Rocco
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Baluardo Di San Rocco

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Baluardo Di Sant'Antonio

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Baluardo Di Santa Maria Della Fortezza

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Campanile Della Cattedrale

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Castello Di Fossa D'Albero

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Ex Convento Di San Nicolò

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Ex Monastero Di San Paolo

Ferrara Railway Station
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Ferrara Railway Station

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Ferrara Synagogue

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Ferrara-San Luca Airport

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Monumento a Paolo V

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Palazzo Delle Poste E Telegrafi

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Palazzo Giordani

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Palazzo Rondinelli

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Teatro Giuseppe Verdi

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Torrione San Giovanni

University of Ferrara
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University of Ferrara

Photo credits (6)
  1. serena saponaro — Pexels License (https://www.pexels.com/license/) — Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/6196056/
  2. Claudio Vimercati — Pexels License (https://www.pexels.com/license/) — Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/7510882/
  3. Andrea Mosti — Pexels License (https://www.pexels.com/license/) — Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/31980366/
  4. Gildo Cancelli — Pexels License (https://www.pexels.com/license/) — Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/13719044/
  5. Francesco Ungaro — Pexels License (https://www.pexels.com/license/) — Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/12681198/
  6. serena saponaro — Pexels License (https://www.pexels.com/license/) — Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/6196047/

Photos may have been resized or cropped.